AN ACT PROMOTING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE GUARDIANSHIP OF GRANDPARENTS OR OTHER RELATIVES.

SB 461 expands higher education support for children living with grandparents or other relatives who have legal guardianship. It requires the Commissioner of Children and Families to extend existing financial aid for foster youth to these children and directs the Board of Regents to include them in debt-free community college programs. The bill also mandates that both agencies provide additional resources to guardians to help support the children's educational goals. This directly affects children in non-parental guardianships and their caregivers, modifying existing state programs to remove barriers to college access. The legislation focuses on adjusting current support structures rather than creating new funding streams.